NADA Ear Acupuncture – an exciting new addition to my practice!

The war in Ukraine has sent many ripples across the world. One such ripple, admittedly a small one, is that it has made me look at what I as an Acupuncturist might do to help.
 
The obvious answer is: ‘volunteer to treat refugees’, followed by an equally obvious question: ‘how, exactly’?
 
This has become increasingly clear. Working alongside other Devon-based colleagues, I’m in the process of helping to set up a new organisation: E.A.R. This stands for ‘Ear Acupuncture for Refugees’. Although this is still a fledgling project, we are already making great strides in being able to deliver a voluntary service to refugees from many nations, not just Ukraine. The aim of the Ear Acupuncture treatment is to begin to tackle the PTSD, anxiety, insomnia, depression and sheer exhaustion that so many refugees face.

But why ‘Ear’ acupuncture?

Auricular (Ear) acupuncture is a respected micro-system within Traditional Chinese Acupuncture. It has a very long history indeed. The idea is that the ear houses literally dozens of tiny acupoints that can be needled to effect a positive change in a person’s mental and physical health. This was part of my original training in acupuncture.
 
Firmly based on this Oriental tradition is a relatively new (1970’s), and distinct modality, internationally famous as the NADA PROTOCOL. 
 
NADA is a condensed and very specific form of Auricular Acupuncture, offering the same five ear points to all comers. These points have been chosen for their collective effect on a great many issues, most especially in the treatment of addiction (to substances, alcohol, or indeed pretty much anything else) and in tackling PTSD – Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome. The latter makes it a perfect treatment for refugees.
 
NADA has an impressive track record. It has been used, for example, on survivors and emergency workers who witnessed 9/11, as well as those at London’s Grenfell Towers. It is also employed in refugee camps worldwide, and is recognised as a valuable intervention by the International Red Cross and our own NHS, to name but a few.
 
So… The next step was obvious. I sent myself off on an intensive NADA training course, and am now very happy to say I am a fully qualified and accredited member of NADA GB, the UK organisation representing this worldwide movement. I must admit that even as an Acupuncturist of long-standing, I found the training challenging – not technically perhaps, after all there are only five points to learn – but more in terms of the logistical differences between delivering a NADA treatment and my regular acupuncture sessions in a private clinic.
 
Put simply NADA lies at the ‘sharp end’ of the Acupuncture spectrum. Please pardon the pun!
 
The therapy is most usually used in a group environment, with a small team of Acupuncturists delivering treatment for up to thirty people at a time. The patients/clients sit in chairs in a quiet, (preferably silent), session lasting up to forty minutes. There is very little discussion, and case histories are kept to the bare minimum, noting only what is necessary for ensuring a safe treatment for each person. Given the target audience, practitioners can be managing individuals who are deeply traumatised, (some refugees are so damaged they have even lost the power of speech) or those who perhaps lead generally chaotic, difficult lives due to addiction. In short, it’s potentially a far more pressured environment than one-to-one private practice.
 
So does it work? From my personal experience of observing NADA in action I would have to say a big ‘yes’ to that! During a typical NADA group session there is a great deal of activity at first as the needles are inserted. And then everything goes still… What follows is a deepening silence, and soon enough you can just watch people sink into states of deep, blissful relaxation. It changes them, even physically, and that’s remarkable! One elderly lady I met came in asking for relaxation, but was also limping. Forty minutes later the limp appeared to have gone, but of course nobody had addressed that particular problem specifically! It was just a typical spin-off, ‘side-effect’ of the treatment. Part of the understanding of NADA is that, like all Traditional Acupuncture, it works on multiple levels simultaneously. This means it has the potential to help with a vast range of issues, not just addiction or PTSD. NADA can even be used preventatively, for instance as part of a programme of boosting the immune system, or in supporting the vitality of pregnant women.
 
With this ‘bigger picture’ in mind I’m now regularly using NADA on myself, and I can vouch for its ability to engender a meditative calmness that lasts well beyond the duration of the actual treatment. NADA can also of course be delivered very effectively in a one-to-one, private setting, and so I am now offering this service from the clinic in addition to voluntary work in other locations. With my patients’ permission I’m also beginning to incorporate more Ear Acupuncture into my day-to-day treatments, mixing some ear points with regular acupuncture. It’s proving to be a highly useful addition!
 
Hopefully I’ll be posting more on NADA on an ongoing basis, especially once E.A.R. is fully up and running.